She Thought Her Childhood Best Friend Had Chosen Another Girl — So She Walked Away Before He Could Tell Her the Truth
Chapter 3
The next morning, Claire arrived at university early.
She didn’t want to see Ryan.
She had barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Natalie standing close to him.
She told herself she wasn’t jealous.
That would have been easier.
Jealousy meant she cared.
And she didn’t want to admit how much.
Ryan found her outside the lecture hall.
“Claire.”
She kept walking.
He caught up.
“Why did you leave yesterday?”
“I went home.”
“Without telling me?”
“I didn’t think it mattered.”
He stared at her.
“It always matters when you disappear.”
Claire finally looked at him.
“You seemed busy.”
“With what?”
She said nothing.
Ryan’s frustration grew.
“Just tell me what happened.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Claire.”
She looked away.
“You’re busy now. That’s all.”
He understood.
“You saw Natalie.”
Claire’s heart stopped.
“So you knew.”
“No.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“She asked me out.”
Claire forced a smile.
“Congratulations.”
“I said no.”
The words were so simple that she almost believed him immediately.
Almost.
Then Ryan added:
“Because I love someone else.”
Claire looked at him.
“Who?”
He hesitated.
The hesitation hurt more than anything.
Before he could answer, the professor opened the door.
Students began filing inside.
Ryan whispered:
“We need to talk.”
Claire shook her head.
“Later.”
She walked into the classroom.
Neither of them noticed that both had spent the entire night imagining the worst.
